Telemann: Overtures and Concertos (Georg Philipp Telemann)

Album review

Capriccio Basel's Tudor disc of Telemann overtures and concertos Dolce e staccato is a class act all the way. While most of these pieces aren't particularly rare -- the "Darmstadt G minor" Overture, the triple violin concerto in F from "Tafelmusik," and the "Klingende Geographie" Overture are all well-established and oft recorded examples of Telemann's capabilities in orchestral literature -- Capriccio Basel under leader Dominik Kiefer plays them sensibly, energetically, and with a sense of occasion. This is neither an example of a band trying to make Telemann sound like Ligeti nor a run-of-the-mill, going-through-the-motions type of interpretation. Flutist Karel Valter does a beautiful job of making his flute sing in Telemann's Concerto in E for flute and also blending into the ensemble when needed, as was the practice in Telemann's time. It was also common practice for Telemann for his chamber music to double as orchestral music, and Capriccio Basel beautifully achieves such ends through its realization of Telemann's F minor Sextet for viols within the context of an orchestral texture, though it called it a sonata. Clearly the intent here is to highlight what's best -- and most familiar to expert tastes -- about Telemann's orchestral music and to provide as good a recording for it as might be had. The group does not go the extra distance to include implied elements in this music, such as adding a chattering tambourine to "Les Turcs" in "Klingende Geographie." However, these are such fine performances that one does not miss them, Tudor's sound is terrific and Capriccio Basel's Dolce e staccato should prove a first-class introduction to Telemann's orchestral music, especially newcomers.
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